Letter-box and post therefor



(No Model.) 2 Sheets*Sheet l.

W. W. SPEER. LETTER BOX AND POST THEREFOR.

Patented May 3, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W W SPEER LETTER BOX AND POST THEREFOR.

Patented May 3, 1892. -i.

w, M L W UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM WV. SPEER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

LETTER-BOX AND POST THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,972, dated May 3,1892. Application filed September-2 4, 1891. Serial No. 406,969. (Nomodel.)

To otZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. SPEER, a resident of Pittsb'urg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have i11- vented certainnew and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes and Posts Therefor; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in letter-boxes and supportstherefor, the object of the invention being to produce a simple, cheap,and substantial post or support for a letter-box.

A further object is to provide a letter-box which shall be of simple,cheap, and substantial construction and one which shall be effect-ual inthe performance of its functions.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in a wrought-iron orsteel post for supporting a letter-box and means for securing said postin position.

The invention also consists in a letter-box made of sheet-steel andhaving its bottom and three sides made of a single piece of metal bentinto-proper shape and rigidly secured by means of angle-irons; and thein- Vention also consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of my improvedpost and box secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating my improveddrop. Fig. 3 is an end view of the box. Fig. 4. is a plan view of thebottom of the box. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View through thebox. Fig. 6 is aview of the blank from which the box is made. Figs. 7,8, and 9 are detail views.

A represents my improved box, and B the supporting-post therefor. Thebox A is made of a sheet of steel, having abottom a, sides 1), and end 0in one piece, the other end 0 being made of a separate piece andinserted over a door d, with which the box is provided. If desired, thesides I) and bottom a may be made of one piece of metal and both ends 0c of separate pieces. The blank shown in Fig. 6 is bent up into propershape and the sides and ends secured together by means of angleirons e,as shown in Fig. 5.

One side of the box is provided with an elongated slot 7 for thereception of letters, and over the top of the box is a roof 9.

Mounted in the ends of the box A is my improved drop O, said drop beinglocated just inside the box near the elongated slot f and adapted tonormally close said slot. The drop or guard O is composed of a skeletonmade of, preferably, cast-iron sides 1 and steel rim 2, the ends of thesteel rim being fastened to the sides 1. The sides 1 are provided withperforated bosses 3, said bosses being also each made with a recess 4.The ends of the box are perforated for the accommodation of thecontracted ends 5 of lugs 6, which contracted ends also enter therecesses 4 in the bosses 3, thus producing bearings for the drop orguard. held together by means of bolts 7 passing through them. An arm 71projects from one of the lugs 6, and on the end of this arm is a weightj, which serves to maintain the drop or guard O normally in position toclose the elongated slot f, said drop or guard being limited in itsmovement when opened by means of a pin or projection is on the box A.Although I have claimed this drop or guard in this case onlysubstantially the same construction has been disclosed in applicationSerial No. 408,687, filed by me October 14., 1891, and Serial No.408,956, filed October 16, 1891.

The center of the bottom a of the box Aiis cut to produce two ears k in,which are bent downwardly and adapted to enter the hollow steel post 13,to which they are secured by means of suitable bolts L, said bolts alsoserving to secure a metal casting E to produce a finish between the baseA and post 13. At the lower end of the metal tubular post is a metalornamental casting F, located on the ground. Passing up through aportion of the tubular post B is a wooden post G, which is secured tothe metal post B by means of screws m. The wooden post G is made with ashoulder n for the reception of the lower end of the metallic post B,and said post extends downwardly from the casting G and is adapted to beembedded in the ground, and thus rigidly support the entire device.

The bosses 3 and lugs 6 are A device thus constructed is very simple,cheap to manufacture, and effectual in the performance of allitsfunctions.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a post having an enlarged flaring collar at thetop, of a box located on the top of the post, projections extending fromthe box downward, and belts or similar devices passing through theprojections, post, and collar, whereby to fasten the box to the post,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination,with a box having a slot formed therein, of a drop orguard comprising the sides, a rim secured to the sides, perforatedbosses having recesses adapted to bear in holes in the sides of the box,lugs having contracted ends, one of the lugs having a weighted handle,and bolts passing through the bosses and lugs for holding said partstogether, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a metallic letterbox and a tubular post orsupport, of ears projecting downwardly from the bottom of saidletter-box and entering said post, a cast Witnesses:

JOHN D. SPEER, THOMAS D. GRAHAM.

